Device for controlling the warps for figuring fabrics



Feb. 6, 1934. ROSSMANN 1,945,997

DEVICE FOR CONTROLLING THE WARPS FOR FIGURING FABRICS Filed March 6, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 44

Fig. '71

Feb. 6, 1934. R. ROSSMANN 1,945,997

DEVICE FOR CONTROLLING THE WARPS FOR FIGURING FABRIC Filed March 6, 1931. 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Fig. 42

Patented Feb. 6, 1934 PATENT OFFICE UNITED STATES DEVICE FOR CONTROLLING THE WARPS FOR FIGURING FABRICS Application March 6, 1931, Serial No. 520,630,

and in Germany March 6, 1930 j 7 Claims.

The weaving of figured fabrics is efiected in that, prior to every weft shooting, the individual warp threads are spread out in form of the shed, different warp threads being actually brought to above or below the weft threads. In order to effect this, all warp threads are threaded through small eyes attached to cords or wires, called heddles, by means of which these warps are pulled up or down for the shed formation. If in this manner regular figuring has to be obtained, it is necessary to accordingly control the pulling up or down of the warp threads, i. e. to every time divide the warp threads into two groups, one of said groups being pulled up, the other remaining in the initial position or being pulled down.

The warps are generally first divided into uniform small subgroups, which always are raised or lowered together. These sub groups consist in very scattered designs sometimes only of a very few threads. The finest design of same is obtained if each sub group comprises only one thread.

The control of the individual sub groups has hitherto been effected by the Jacquard machine, which is commonly used in looms. The Jacquard machines possess however serious disadvantages, which hitherto could not be avoided. They consist particularly in that the looms must be very high, so that high weaving sheds are required, the

cost of manufacture of the loom being increased.

The whole arrangement is expensive and difiicult to observe, owing to the jacks, cords and especially the harness-cords, so that faulty work and disturbances can easily happen. A chief inconvenience consists in that. owing to the complicated construction the machine can run only slowly, so that the lower working speed of the Jacquard machine determines the maximum weft speed, so that these looms must run more slowly than dobby looms for the same width of fabric.

The invention obviates said inconveniences of the Jacquard machines and makes it possible, to work at much higher speed. The fundamental difference of the new device compared with the Jacquard machine consists in that the individual heddles, which carry the eyes, are no longer pulled through the intermediary of harness cords, cords, jacks and the like, from far above the loom, but consist of needles fitted with guide eyes for the warp threads, which needles will be hereinafter called heddle needles and are pressed on for every shed formation all together upon one or several control bodies, partly cut out and actually adjusted according to the figuring, some heddles passing through these control bodies and also the corresponding wrap threads which form one side of the shed whereas the remaining needles rest on these bodies and form the other side of the shed. The whole device can be situated close above or below the warp. The controlled heddle needles are preferably guided all together inone frame. The end of each heddle needle may be straight or oif set or provided with any projection forming the abutment against the adjustable control body. This control body may consist of a shift- 66 able band or bar having different holes, into which the preferable spring operated heddle needles are pressed prior to every shed formation. The control bodies preferably consisting of thin band steel may extend over the entire width of 70' the fabrics and may be adjusted from the side by pulling. At this pulling the different holes of the control band, arranged in continuous succession, are displaced so that some of the pressed on beddle needles can penetrate through these holes, 76 whereas the remaining heddle needles press onto the portions of the band between the holes. The needles which have passed through the holes form the lower shed, whereas the remaining needlesheld in the raised position form the counter shed. 80

According to the different constructions andto the size of the loom it is therefore possible, to enclose the whole figuring arrangement in one single small, long casing arranged above or below the fabric and controlling all the heddle needles. In

the casing a large number of superposed bands are accommodated, which have holes in'a certain manner and in succession and on which the hedv dle needles, held in a common frame, are pressed by gravity or spring action for every shed formation. The bands are previously selected by a control mechanism arranged on the outer side' of the fabric, in such a manner that only the desired heddle needles can pass through the holes of the control bands. This selecting is preferably efiected by feeler needles, which, as usual in; J acquard machines, bear onto a paper band perforated according to the desired design figure,separate elements effecting the actual pulling forward or backward of the bands selected by the" feeler needles. According to the number of heddle needles united in one subgroup, or according to the number of heddle needles tobe simultaneously controlled, the number of the control bands varies. In the extreme case, in which eve we cry warp thread has to be controlled individually, as many control bands are necessary as therearewarp threads. As all other mtermedia-te elements, which .have hitherto been necessary forthe control, are omitted, it is possible, to make H0 portant for the life'of' the same.

the device more compact and consequently cheaper and to make it work more rapidly with great accuracy. Hereto is added, that the whole arrangement may be encased without difficulties and may run in an oil bath, this being very im- The new arrangement may be built without difficulty for high shed and low shed, closed shed and open shed owing to the simultaneous movement of the frame serving for guiding the needles and of the casing accommodating the control bands.

The new device may be attached to any type loom in which a midclosing shed is adaptable, in particular ribbon looms and nipper looms which make use of a low shed and a small shuttle.

An embodiment of the new arrangement for controlling warp threads is diagrammatically illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 shows the whole control arrangement in elevation viewed from the front side of theloom. As disclosed all control elements are arranged under the warp in the illustrations, although ac- 7 cording to the invention the arrangement may be'inversed without any alteration of the principle, that is the controlling elements, such as bands, frames and the like may be arranged above or below the warp.

Figs; 2, 3 and 4, show on a larger scale the position of the heddle needles in the shed formation, only the two extreme heddle needles being shown for clearness sake.

Figs. 5 to 8 illustrate how two heddle needles 7 a work together with two superposedand mutually 35' shiftable control bands inv different positions.

Fig. 9 is a crosssection of Figs.'5 to'8.

Fig. 10 illustrates in top plan view a portion of a control band.

Fig. 11 showsan example for the arrangement of the oblong holes and circular holes in the control bands arranged in sub groups.

Fig. 12 shows on larger scale in vertical section the controlmechanism arranged at the left end-portion of the control bands.

Fig. 13 shows in top plan View the left end portions of several control, bands arranged the one behind the others with the pulling knives guided in the apertures of the bands.

Fig. 14 shows a cross section through the control mechanism illustrated in Fig. 12.

The several warp threads a are threaded through the eyes a of preferably spring pressed needles b, which in the new device replace the hitherto used heddles. These heddle needles I) are commonly guided and held in a U-shaped frame 0 extending transversely over the warp width. In the frame the needles are surrounded by springs d, which tend to permanently press said needles downward. Under the heddle needles b a number of control bands 6 preferably consisting of band steel and guided all together in a casing f are arranged-said bands being adapted to be shifted in lateral-direction a distance necessary for the controlling of the needles. The needle frame 0 is moved up and down for every shed formation by means of an arrangement not shown. If high shed and low shed have to be formed the lower frame with the control bands e is at the same time moved in opposite direction; The movement of the frame 1 and control bands 6 is made possible by mounting the frame f and the necessary actuating mechanism on a common frame p and all the elements moved as a unit. When the two frames 0 and I move towards each other those needles, which rest upon the bands, are lifted and pressed into the upper shed, whereas the other needles, standing opposite holes in the bands e, pass, owing to the spring action, through these holes and'into the lower shed. Instead of the springs 11 evidently other suitable means may be used.

Fig. 2 shows the normal or medium position of two heddle needles b standing the one at the side of the other, the shed being closed. Fig. 3 shows the formation of a low shed by lowering of the needle frame c, the left needle 2) passing through the hole :6 under it of the control band 6, and the second, right hand needle I) resting upon the control band. Fig. 4 shows the formation of high shed and low shed, as in this case lifting of the right hand needle b has also taken place owing to the rising of the frame f guiding the control band e.

The controlling proper of the heddle needles is effected by lateral shifting of the control bands e and of the apertures or holes provided in the .same. The apertures in the bands may, for instance, be simple circular holes, arranged at other distances apart than the heddle needles, other heddle needles finding free passage through these apertures at every lateral shifting of the bands. Inthe control bands oblong holes may continually alternate with circular holes. The control bands are then shifted in lateral direction only such a distance that the oblong holes ofthe shifted bands still allow free passage for the heddle needles, the circular holes being however already displaced so much, that the needles rest there on the band portions remaining between the holes.

In Figs. 5-8 it is illustrated on two superposed bands and on two heddle needles how the same cooperate. One band e is provided for each needle group and each band has one circular hole .1: for the needles of these groups and further oblong holes y for the needles of the other groups. The upper band e has under the needle heel of b a circular hole a: and band e under the needle heel of b Fig. 5 shows the two bands e and e in a position, in which both needles b and b find free passage. Fig. 6 shows the needle ends which. have passed through the bands 6 e owing to the descending of the needle frame 0.

Fig. 7 shows the two needles b and b in raised position, the lower band e having however been shifted to the left, so that. the needle b 'at the subsequent descending of the frame 0 will come to rest on the band e and therefore remain lifted (Fig. 8). V

Fig. 9 shows the two bands e in cross section, and it can be seen that the bands may be very narrow, whereby the whole arrangement can be constructed at a much lower price.

Small thread groups are mostly moved at the same time, so that they can be also always controlled at the same time. In the Jacquard machines some heddles are therefore generally united by harness cords in one cord, by which these heddles are then pulled simultaneously. In the new figuring arrangement according to the invention this can be effected in that every control band has so many circular holes, distributed over the whole length, as there are heddles to be controlled at the same time. Every tenth hole may for instance therefore be a circular hole :23, so that these every tenth heddle needles will be raised at the descending of the frame c by resting upon the shifted band relative to the other descending needles. Fig. 11 shows diagrammatically a hole arrangement of this kind. By the shifting to the left or the upper control band e as shown in this figure, the needles 10 and'20 are raised, as the circular hole m which normally stands under these needles, has been somewhat shifted to the left. holes 1: under the needles 9 and 19, the band e has circular holes 1: under the needles 8 and 18,- and the band e has circular holes 1: under the needles '7 and 1'7. As the band e is also shifted to the left, also the needles 7 and 17 are in the raised position. For clearness sake only the bands e to e are shown, although in this group division of ten needles for each group ten control bands must obviously be provided. 4

Instead of the circular holes and oblong holes other apertures may obviously be provided in the control bands. The heddle needles may have any projection or a nose designed to strike onto the control band. Instead of the bands, bars, wires or other suitable elements may be used. The number of the similar apertures following one another depends on the number of heddle needles to be controlled at the same time. In the extreme case, in which every individual warp thread has to be controllable, one control band will be arranged for each heddle needle, this band having a circular hole only at one point.

The selecting of the control bands is illustrated in Figs. 12-14. It must be again assumed that as a control element, bands with circular holes or oblong holes are used, so that these bands are to be shifted for controlling only by the diameter of a circular hole.

Vertically arranged feeler needles g g g g g g serve for selecting the control bands e, and they are selected simultaneously in known man ner by holes 70 arranged in the cardboard or 1 paper cards k. The feeler needles are controlled by springs d wound around the same and inserted between the casing f and a collar d of the corresponding needles. Six control bands 6 to e are superposed, corresponding to the number of feeler needles, and these bands are again held in the guide frame I and in the casing 1" so that they may be mutually shifted in lateral direction. Springs n, attached at the right hand side of the control bands, tend to pull these bands pennanently towards the right into the normal position. This normal position is selected so that in this position all heddle needles pass through circular holes or oblong holes of the control bands, i. e. come into the lower shed. Apertures, for instance somewhat longer oblong holes z, are arranged on the other, left hand end of the control bands, in which holes a commonly moved pull knives l engage, which are fixed on a beam m. These pull knives carry out a reciprocating movement for every shed formation, at which movement they pull the control bands into their left extreme position in opposition to the action of the springs n, so that all circular holes of the control bands are moved away from the needle ends, so that the needles, when the frames 0 and 1 move the one towards the other, would come into the upper shed. Whilst the control bands are in this left hand extreme position, the feeler needles g to g are raised, so that they pass through the six superposed bands, of which five have at this point each one oblong hole u, whereas one band has at this point a circular hole 12. The raising is effected for instance by a plate h, through which the feeler needles extend. The card It is then brought under the feeler needles by rotation of a control prism i, which is not The band e has circular shown indetail, whereupon the feeler needles g to g descend again as the plate It is lowered.

Those feeler needles, which encounter a hole-k in the card 70, engage then in known manner in a corresponding bore 1 of the prism 1', whereas the other feeler needles rest on this prism and remain raised. In the drawing it is supposed, that the feeler needles g 9 9 have descended, the other needles having remained in the raised position. The pulling knives I then move back again, the bands e e 6 returning to the right through the action of the springs 11. The bands e 6 e are however locked by the feeler needles g g g which have remained in the raised position, so that these bands are further held in the left hand extreme position as shown in Fig. 12. The heddle needles, which belong to these control bands, are therefore raised, whereas the heddle needles belonging to the other bands are lowered. In this manner it is possible, to individually control every group of heddle needles.

Not only a greater number of control bands are arranged the one above the other, but several rows of control bands are arranged the one behind the other. In Fig. 14 it is supposed, that five rows, each of six bands, are provided. A very extensive controlling of the warp threads controlling or figuring is thereby possible. The number of the superposed control bands and also the number of the band rows may evidently be much greater.

The whole arrangement is preferably accommodated in a casing to, indicated in dash lines in Fig. 1, and containing an oil bath, in order that the control bands, heddle needles and feeler needles be permanently lubricated.

The selecting of the control bands by the feeler needles may evidently be effected in some other manner, and especially only paper cards will be used instead of the cardboard cards.

I claim:

1. In a device for controlling the warp shed in figured fabric weaving, a needle frame, a pinrality of heddle needles movably positioned in said frame, a plurality of superposed perforated strips adjacent said frame, means for moving said frame and strips toward each other, whereby certain given needles are inserted into the perforations of said strips, resilient means permitting displacement of said needles in said frame and returning the same to their normal position in said frame, and means for moving said strips relatively to each other and to said needles for changing the position of said perforations relative to said needles.

2. In a device for controlling the warp shed'in figured fabric weaving, a needle frame, a plurality of heddle needles movably positioned in said frame, a plurality of superposed perforated strips adjacent said frame, means for moving said frame and strips toward each other, whereby certain given needles are inserted into the perforations of said strips, resilient means permitting displacement of said needles in said frame and returning the same to their normal position in said frame, means for moving said strips relatively to each other and to said needles and control means for selecting the movement of said strips in accordance with a given design.

3. In a device for controlling the warp shed in figured fabric weaving, a plurality of movable heddle needles, a plurality of perforated strips for controlling the movement of said heddle needles, perforated extensions on said strips, movable feeler needles adapted to enter said perforated extensions for adjusting the relative positions of said perforated strips.

4. In a device for controlling the warp shed in figured fabric weaving, as defined by claim 3,

in said support, a plurality of superposed strips having perforations adjacentsaid support, the said perforations being normally in alignment with each other and with said needles, means for moving said needles and said strips toward each other, and means for selectively presenting perforations; or imperforate portioiis'of the said strips. to said needles.

6. Ina device as defined by claim 1 in which the said frame and the said strips may be selectively moved toward each other.

'7, In a device for controlling the warp shed in figured fabric weaving, a plurality of heddle needles movably positioned in a support, a plurality of superposed perforated strips for selectively controlling the movement of said heddle needles, perforated extensions on said strips, a plurality of feeler needles adapted to enter said perforated extensions, and means for selectively moving said feeler needles into said perforated extensions.

- RUDOLF ROSSMANN. 

